Running From Trouble
by ljkeek
Summary: Jamie and Eddie tackle a case together with some help from the others at the 2-9. Meanwhile they have to deal with growing pains from their new roles professionally and personally.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

Eddie sat next to Jamie on the bench across from the shelter near the 2-9 where she volunteered to socialize animals for adoption. It had always been her place to go for some unconditional, restorative affection of the canine variety. The tougher the day at her new precinct, the more likely she was to stop by for an hour, play with the dogs and think things through. The dogs never asked questions and they were always happy to see her.

At first she had been nervous to bring Jamie there, because it was her thinking spot. While he had Donovan's gym to work things out in, she had the Happy Paws Rescue Center. But, to her surprise he still let it be her private refuge, waiting for the invitation before tagging along, just as she did with Donovan's. Despite his own love for animals and the emotional benefits the shelter offered, he let her have her place. Both of them seemed to realize people who live AND work together needed a few sacred spaces to be alone.

Eddie was completely frustrated with her fiancé tonight. He was being completely bull headed and she couldn't figure out why. She knew it was a great idea. Hell, he had even suggested the same thing a couple months ago. He loves dogs. He's always been the first one to approach every mutt they encountered on the street, pet or stray. Now he stubbornly refused to listen to the idea..

"_I've got too much going on to consider it,"_ he complained.

"_But you were right all along, Jamie. I was just panicking before because I felt like everyone expected me to be ready for parenthood and just take that baby home. But ever since you suggested getting a dog, I realized you were right. I'd never considered it when I was by myself because I was never home. But that's because I was with YOU. If we're always together, I won't need to worry about leaving it home alone all the time."_

Eddie had rebuffed his suggestion to adopt a dog as a dry run for parenthood a few months ago. At the time, she thought it was ridiculous. She already knew Jamie would be a fantastic father. He was great with kids. Plus he had nephews and nieces so he knew what to expect. She knew herself equally well. The real problem had been the timing. They were not even married yet and she had waited so long to have him to herself, she just wasn't ready to share him with a baby. Not comfortable appearing horribly selfish, but not ready to rush through another milestone in their lives together, Eddie panicked.

Before Jamie figured out what was truly bothering her, he had to peel back a few layers. He first thought she was afraid to ask him about taking the baby. Then he thought she was nervous about becoming a mom. He had seen right through her hasty comment about not being sure she wanted a family. Finally, he realized things were just moving too fast for her. She felt guilty for wanting to live in the moment they were in. Almost a year ago, he had vowed that if she fell behind he would wait up and he meant it. Jamie would be ready for parenthood when Eddie was ready.

Now suddenly she was suggesting they get a dog? As much as he would love that, he knew first hand what happened to a relationship when there was too much change too quickly. He'd been down that road before with Sydney. That break up was hard enough, but what he and Eddie had was so much more. If he let something happen to them, he knew he would never recover. She was absolutely everything to him.

The closer they got to the wedding, the more fearful Jamie became that the bubble would burst. He realized shortly after meeting Eddie that anything he felt for Sydney had been the pale imitation of what he felt for her. Each time he looked at her lately, whether she was sleeping beside him or even sitting at his father's house just talking to Linda or Erin, he was absolutely sure that he couldn't live without her.

He knew he was being ridiculous. Eddie was nothing like Sydney. She was utterly devoted to him and would never leave him. But he was determined not to test that theory by allowing her to give into something he wanted just to please him. He figured the part of volunteering with the dogs she appreciated was the lack of commitment required. She had said as much herself. He wasn't about to push her into something she wasn't ready for. The insecurity he kept so far down that even Eddie only got fleeting glimpses of it was rearing its head again. Jamie Reagan was scared.

Jamie was looking forward to getting married in a week. He loved Eddie completely. He was also looking forward to ending his fear of history repeating itself once and for all. It had taken some counseling and a lot of introspection to accept that his relationship with Sydney had been far from perfect from the start. The glue that held them together was 1 part respect for one another and 2 parts fear of change. Neither one had wanted to leave when what they had was comfortable. It took the prospect of a job that was equally as fulfilling for Sydney as police work was for Jamie to get her to walk away. They liked each other well enough - neither knew anyone they found more intellectually challenging. But respecting someone's accomplishments is a far cry from deep and enduring love. By the time Jamie realized that Eddie not only challenged him - she inspired him to be a better man, he'd almost lost her to someone else. She was his safe place, not because there was no risk but because she was willing to take on life's risks with him.

After all, his disastrous wedding planning suggestion borrowed from perhaps the last person anyone would get advice from, had imploded. Even Danny had been horrified when he heard it. Jamie was nervous about doing anything else that might hurt Eddie and make her doubt his resolve to love her completely for the rest of his life.

After the wedding next week they could talk about it again. Then he'd have his own head on straight. If Eddie brought it up again then, he'd be all in.


	2. Chapter 2

**_This posted all kinds of weird the first time I did it, hopefully this comes out readable._**

Chapter 2:

Eddie wasn't really angry with Jamie. She even had to agree he had a point. But she was completely exasperated with how overprotective he was being. On the job, she'd be one of the people responsible for catching the creep who had been assaulting women joggers from all over Brooklyn for the past two months. Now that she was off duty, he was suggesting she wait until he was available to go for a run with her.

"I don't need you to protect me, Jamie. I can take care of myself!"

"But I want to protect you. You're my wife. If someone hurts you, it hurts me too."

"Nobody is hurting me. I just want to go for a run in broad daylight."

It was still early. She had woken up with him at 5:00 am. to be sure they had a little time for breakfast together before he headed into work. Her shift started later and she wouldn't see him again until she got home later that night, when he would already be sleeping.

After promising to adhere to every safety precaution he listed and text him once she arrived back at home, Jamie relented. She could see it in his eyes that he was not happy, but they reached a compromise.

Once Jamie headed out to work, Eddie filled her water bottle, put on running shoes and headed downstairs. She had agreed to skip headphones to be sure she was aware of her surroundings. She spent a few minutes in front of their building stretching. It surprised her how empty the streets were. A few delivery trucks passing by, and the early wave of commuters in cars and buses but nowhere near the level of activity she normally saw. She started running up the street and her mind began to focus on the plans she had for Sunday dinner. It was her and Jamie's turn to handle the main dish and one or two of the sides. Linda had offered to make a salad and pick up fresh bread. Erin was taking care of a side dish and Frank and Henry were providing dessert. She still had to find time to let them know what she was making so they could choose accordingly. Eddie had found a chicken dish online that looked promising and would go great with mashed potatoes and some asparagus. As she mentally went through the grocery list, when she'd need to carve out time to get there, not to mention when she could squeeze in prep time on Saturday, Eddie was feeling invigorated. Living in Brooklyn had been a pleasant surprise for her. She loved her neighborhood.

As she ran, she made sure she followed every safety precaution that she promised Jamie she'd follow. She ran close to the curb, kept aware of alleys or doors and made sure her safety alarm was on her wrist. There were just a few other runners she passed as she heard her Fitbit tell her she hit the mile mark. Not surprisingly, most were men and the other women were in groups or running with dogs. After a few more minutes, her thoughts about Sunday dinner and upcoming birthdays for Jack and Henry were interrupted. She could hear a faint cry coming from the alley on her left. As she slowed down and approached the opening that the noise was coming from, the crying changed to a faint but clear, "help."

All personal thoughts were immediately pushed aside and Eddie was in cop mode. Her training kicked in as she carefully approached the source of the sound. Immediately, she produced her cellphone and used voice mode to call 911. She approached the alley with caution until she was able to make out a woman's hand on the ground, peeking out from behind a large blue dumpster.

The operator on the other end of the phone began trying to ask her questions, but Eddie was already at work. She launched into the standard information she would normally provide to a dispatcher and approached the rear of the dumpster. She gave the dispatcher everything she noticed about the situation as she proceeded closer. The woman on the ground was dressed in workout gear like herself. Her yoga mat was behind her about 50 feet as if it had been thrown clear of her body. She was bloody, bruised and badly injured but thankfully alive. Eddie performed the normal basic medical assessment she would do as a cop to be sure there was nothing she could do before the paramedics arrived. Eddie carefully stayed in the same general area to avoid contaminating the scene, and left the woman's yoga mat and purse where they were on the ground. She covered the woman with her thin jacket.

"Don't move, help is on the way. What's your name?"

"Ashley," the young woman replied through tears.

"Relax, Ashley. I'm a police officer and I've called for help already. They are on their way."

Before she could do much more to comfort the young woman, a police car pulled into the opening of the alley. The officers jumped from their car and were followed by two paramedics rounding the corner and staying right behind them. Once they got close to Eddie and Ashley, the paramedics moved in and Eddie was pushed to the side. After securing the scene and communicating with their dispatcher, the officers called Eddie over to ask her some questions.

At his desk at the 2-9, Sergeant Reagan had just finished role call. He had some paperwork to finish so he was not out on the street. Instead he was in the perfect place to hear the NYPD live feed of officer responses come crackling over the scanner.

"Female jogger was located injured in the alley off 75th Street in the 63rd precinct. Officers and paramedics responding."

Jamie immediately recognized the 63rd as one of the precincts near his apartment. His blood ran cold and he was frozen in place. His trance was broken by the buzzing of his phone in his pocket. Picking it up apprehensively, he saw Eddie's face appear on the screen. He answered, deeply worried that it wouldn't be her voice on the other end.

"Jamie…" was all she managed to get out before he gasped a sigh of relief.

"Are you OK?" The anxiety in his voice was evident both to Eddie and to the officers around him. He had been so shaken when he heard the scanner and his phone rang almost immediately afterwards, that he didn't even take the time to step away for privacy.

Though the officers under his command knew about him and Eddie, he went to great lengths to keep any personal interaction between them to a minimum. Jamie was pretty sure he'd overheard a couple of the young officers joking once about how little passion he and Eddie had with each other, calling them "vanilla". Far from being insulted and not sticking around long enough to hear them go into how much better they would be with Eddie - it always went there in a locker room - Jamie decided he would take that as a win. Jamie actually walked away laughing to himself and wondering if they had any idea what could build up in two people when you had to repress your feelings all day. By the time he and Eddie were clear of the precinct together, they usually had trouble keeping their PDA to a socially appropriate level. They would spend their time doing errands or grabbing after work drinks and dinner becoming experts at hidden touches and teasing. By the time they got home, they were unable to wait any longer. Jamie was pretty sure they'd be shaking his hand and asking for advice if they had any idea how wrong they were.

Jamie tried to keep the panic in his voice down when he asked, "Where are you?" If she wasn't involved in this latest incident, the last thing he wanted was to seem even more over protective. He knew she was more than capable of taking care of herself. She was strong, well trained in self-defense and wasn't over confident. But it was the unpredictable dangers that worried Jamie. The kind of things you couldn't prepare for that resulted in tragedy. It had been almost two years since they were partners at the 12th and he still wished every day that he could be her partner again.

"I'm fine, Jamie. I wasn't the one hurt. I found another victim of the guy going after joggers when I was out for my run. I've got to go now and make my statement. I'm not sure how long this is going to take so you might need to get someone in to ride with Rachel. I'll see you at home later - I love you."

"Love you too," he responded. Another workplace slip of the tongue that revealed just how shaken he really was, despite his calm exterior. Jamie pushed down the gnawing fear for Eddie which never led to anything good happening. He mentally wandered to whether he had spare workout clothes in his locker. He had a feeling he would need to work some things out with a heavy bag at Donovan's Gym first before he went home to talk about it with Eddie.

For her part, Eddie was shaken too. If her morning negotiations with Jamie had taken less time, she would have been passing by when it happened. Hell, she might have been who it happened to! Jamie was right...but really was he? Women can't be expected to just change their lives because some sicko has decided to go after them. She was all in favor of smart self preservation. You don't take an Uber alone, you walk home with someone at night - the normal things people do who don't want to put themselves in danger. But jogging in broad daylight? Millions of people start their morning that way. If she and Jamie really do want to start a family soon, her morning run might be the only time she had to herself all day. How could she let some creep take that away? And yet it terrified her. Once the adrenaline rush passed, Eddie could tell how much the attack had scared her. Made her want to go buy a treadmill and never go out without Jamie again - so much for being a strong independent woman. That guy was still out there. She was pretty sure Jamie was already totally worked up about her brush with the attacker and well aware he had moved his hunting ground to their part of Brooklyn.

"Hey, I know that this isn't my precinct and all but I've got some undercover decoy experience with this kind of thing. Let me know if you need anyone to help you get this guy." Eddie heard herself say to the detective who had reported to the scene. She knew Jamie would absolutely flip if he had heard her and even worse if the detective took her up on the offer.

"Give me a call tomorrow." The detective nonchalantly said, but she could tell in his eyes he was already planning something and just wanted to get the details down before he read anyone in. For his part, Detective Andrews was already planning on calling this officer's precinct to let them know what a great job she had done and to put out some feelers about borrowing her to try and catch this guy. He wrote "Edit Janko" in his notebook and planned to contact the 2-9 as soon as he returned to his desk.

After she finished giving her statement to the detectives at the 63rd, Eddie decided that she needed to de stress a little before she went home and rehashed this whole incident with Jamie. She couldn't blame him. In fact, the fear in his voice during their brief conversation had made her feel guilty for not taking his advice in the first place. But now she was involved and as a female cop she could do something about it. She headed to Happy Paws, the rescue center where she volunteered to socialize dogs that were up for adoption. Free therapy was how she classified it. An hour of unconditional support from a furry friend would be perfect right about now.

As soon as she began playing with a sweet four year old bulldog, she began to create some order in her mind. Yes, she would call the detective tomorrow to follow through but only after she and Jamie talked. And she would listen, really listen, to him. Then they would proceed together, even if it meant she had to back out. If she got herself into another op like the last time, poorly planned and without safety measures in place, even she wouldn't trust herself. Her furry therapist nodded at her, apparently in complete agreement with her plan.

When Eddie arrived back home, the apartment was still dark. She had received a text from Jamie letting her know he needed to stop at Donovan's for a workout on his way home. He checked again if she was OK and needed anything. Eddie assured him that she just needed a hot shower and change of clothes but was otherwise fine. She was happy to take some time for herself until he got home. Eddie was pretty sure the reason he texted rather than called was to hide the agitation in his voice. When Jamie got riled up with fear, anger and frustration he could explode without much provocation. The blood and dirt all over her running gear most likely would have done the trick. Eddie quickly applied spot treatment and threw them in the small stackable washer dryer in the hall closet. It didn't cover all their laundry needs but it let them deal with a few necessities between trips to the laundromat. Regardless of how clean they got, she was pretty sure they were headed for donation. Eddie knew she had plenty of time before Jamie returned and drew herself a hot bath.

For his part, Jamie was slowly releasing the mountain of frustration that today had brought. Each time he connected with the heavy bag, he could tell it was working. He quickly allowed the idea of setting something up for his squad at a boxing club near the 2-9 to percolate. His officers could use this type of stress relief before heading home to their families after a rough shift. But not at Donovan's - that was his place. He realized that if thoughts like this were penetrating his consciousness, then the workout was helping. The white hot anger he had about Eddie nearly being some creep's next victim was giving way to clear headed logic. The detective who responded to the scene had called Jamie personally that afternoon. He had commended her for her calm and efficient work before any officers responded. She kept the onlookers back, remembered a description of several people she passed as she approached the alley and gave him a few different delivery trucks whose drivers might have seen something as well, all while keeping the victim relaxed.

After Jamie acknowledged that she was his wife, the whole "Reagan" connection to this witness became clear to the detective and gave him just a moment's pause. He was impressed that she had not revealed her connection to the Commisioner as well as a host of other colleagues. Yet, he couldn't deny that using the police commissioner's daughter-in-law in a decoy sting was looking a bit less promising than it had just a few minutes ago. Not to mention he had a few interactions with Danny Reagan over the years and while he respected the hell out of him, he did not want to get on his bad side by endangering his sister. Will Andrews decided if he was going to run with his idea, he'd better get some help from the new transfer from narcotics who had undoubtedly been down this road before.

Detective Andrews let Jamie know Eddie had offered to help anyway she could and he's like to take her up on her offer. Jamie wasn't surprised. If he had to be honest, Andrews seemed like a great detective. But, he would still give Danny a call just to learn a little more about him before he got home. If Eddie wanted to act as decoy again he wouldn't be surprised. This time he wouldn't be so overbearing about it. As much as it terrified him, it was her neighborhood too. They both wanted to live in a place where it was safe to have a family. He would listen to her and give her advice. As long as she wasn't being reckless or getting herself into something poorly set up, he would have to support her both professionally and personally. That might take another 15 minutes of working out to accept and he should probably look for a sparring partner.

45 minutes later, Jamie was on his way home and Eddie was dozing on the couch. Her phone rang this time - a good sign.

"Hey beautiful, can I pick something up for dinner or do you want to go out?"

"Takeout would be great. What did you have in mind?"

"Why don't I grab some of that Mac and cheese with bbq brisket you love from Fletcher's?"

"Sounds perfect - just don't forget coleslaw and extra cornbread." she excitedly replied.

"You got it." He chuckled. "If I grab a couple slices of key lime pie, what's in it for me?"

"I could think of a whole lot of things." she teased. "See you soon!"

When Jamie returned home with their food, Eddie was asleep on the couch. Curled up under a knit blanket in her comfiest pajamas, she looked so young and vulnerable. He resolved to be better at listening when they got to talking about today. The beautiful woman sleeping softly was a formidable cop. He loved her because she was both of those things.

"Wake up sleepy head. I've got Mac and cheese and bbq."

That was all the motivation she needed to get up and follow Jamie over to the table. She had set the table before laying down so there was little time wasted. Both of them were enjoying dinner before the topic came up.

"How is the girl doing?" Jamie asked as a way of breaking the ice.

"Her name is Ashley. I stopped by the hospital and she was already released, but I had given her my card before the ambulance left the scene. Her boyfriend called a little while ago to tell me she was sore but resting. I'm going to meet them for coffee next weekend - want to come?"

"Sounds great... It looks like the case is in good hands. Anderson sounds like a straight up guy."

Of course, Eddie realized, he'd called her precinct afterwards. "Yeah, I got a good feeling about him. He really cared about the victim." After a short pause she told him what he already knew, "I told him that if he needed help getting this guy, I'd like to help." She watched Jamie's reaction.

"What kind of help?" Jamie asked her quietly.

"That depends," she paused. "What do you think? I'd like to be all in to do whatever they need, but only if my sergeant ...and my husband thinks it makes sense."

Jamie smiled at her. "Well how did you leave things with him?"

Eddie told him she was due to call Detective Andrews in the morning.

"You're on swing shift tomorrow, right? I'll take the morning and let's go see Andrews together. If he's got a good op planned then you can decide how to get involved."

"And if it doesn't sound right to both of us, then I offer my testimony about today and nothing more." She continued with conviction. …"Didn't you mention Key Lime pie on the phone."

"As long as you can remember how you were going to thank me."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

As soon as she was sure he would be on duty, Eddie called Detective Andrews. She arranged for her and Jamie to meet him for coffee later that morning.

Jamie and Eddie walked into the coffee shop just before 10 o'clock. Detective Andrews and his partner walked in behind them, before their order was even ready. Once all four of them got a drink, and Eddie grabbed one of those scones studded with chocolate chips, they walked to a table near the back.

Detective Andrews stuck out his hand to Eddie and then Jamie. "_Will Andrews"_ he reminded, establishing a first name basis with them. After exchanging first names and learning the tall quiet detective joining them was named Mike Triano, they sat down. Andrews began right away telling his fellow officers, Jamie and Eddie, what the 63rd precinct knew about the attacker. "_The guy is young, physically fit - probably a runner himself - and he seems to seek out victims that are easy to notice - bright clothing, pretty. The guy has a type." _ He also told them that it was clear the attacker was escalating in both frequency and type of victim. Apparently he was no longer willing to wait for joggers in the right location to present themselves. "_This latest victim was walking the three blocks from her apartment to a yoga studio when she was ambushed and dragged into the alley. Something spooked him before anything sexual had a chance to take place but not before Ashley Greene was seriously beaten and suffered a concussion."_

Triano who had been silent up to now, chimed in. "_I am helping Will put together a decoy operation. I worked in narcotics before joining the 6-3 and I have a lot of experience setting these things up. I want to have three different decoys, all in place simultaneously and covered by officers from several precincts. If you are willing to get on board Officer Janko, we would welcome additional support from the 2-9. You would have eyes on you the entire time. What Will hasn't said was that we see a pattern to the attacks. They all occur in the early morning hours on either a Tuesday or Thursday. We think we can identify several dates and locations he is likely to strike. If you are interested, we'd like to have a group from the 2-9 join us for an operational meeting on Friday. "_

Walking out of the coffee shop, Jamie felt about as good as he possibly could about this. Any op that put Eddie in the crosshairs made him seriously uncomfortable. But Andrews and Triano had a solid plan with lots of checks and balances. He could find no reason for Eddie not to get involved. He'd also began to think of which two officers he could provide for backup to send in with her. As much as he wanted his own name on that list, he knew that wouldn't work.

After years together, Eddie could tell what he was thinking. Instead of asking what he thought, she responded "_So who are you thinking for backup?"_

"_First I need to clear this with the Captain, but after that I was leaning towards Tuna and Rich."_

Eddie flashed him a soft smile that said she agreed. "_I like them. Maybe consider Abe too?_"

Jamie nodded, her instincts were right on as usual. Abe would be a better choice than Rich. "_Let's not get ahead of ourselves, I need to bring this to the captain first."_

Of course that was just a formality. Any captain would jump at the chance to have his precinct involved in an op likely to result in a high profile arrest. The incidents were not even happening in the jurisdiction of the 2-9, so the involvement of their officers was a gift. Jamie knew that and so did the Captain when he briefed him on their meeting.

"_Good work, Reagan. Any thoughts on which officers you're sending with her?"_ It wasn't lost on Jamie that he was being reminded in no uncertain terms that he was not expected to be naming himself as one of them. Jamie outlined the two men he had in mind, one experienced officer and one rookie.

"_Abe Jordan, huh?"_ His captain questioned.

"_Yes sir. Captain of his track team in high school. He ran for City College before joining up. I think he'd offer valuable insight, sir."_

"_Good call. Are you interested in lending a hand with the operations side? I'm not sure I want to send my people into something without someone they can trust having their backs. You'd be following orders from the detectives in the 6-3 since this is their show, but I'd feel better if you were keeping an eye on things. You see something going wrong, let me know and we'll pull our people out."_

Jamie sincerely hoped that his captain could not see the immense relief he felt at being involved, even if it was from a mobile command vehicle off site.

"_Sounds great, Cap. I'll let the 63rd know we're in and talk to my officers" Jamie responded as coolly as possible._

Both Abe and Tuna were more than interested in the plain clothes duty. Tuna had hoped to take the sergeant's exam next time around, and this would look great on an application. For his part, Abe was surprised and pleased to be included. Despite having experience as a runner, he hadn't made the best first impression on Sergeant Reagan. He was anxious to make sure his reputation as a team player had a positive spin on it. Both officers were happy to clear their schedules for duty at the 6-3 on Friday.

When all of the rescheduling was completed and Jamie was sure the shifts for his officers and himself were covered, Jamie was ready to head home. Eddie had left almost an hour before him, so Jamie was surprised that the apartment was dark when he arrived. Jamie sent her a text and was relieved when she responded.

"_Picking up dinner - see you soon!"_ She followed her message with a silly selfie, making him smile.

Jamie grabbed a shower and was watching the game when she finally came through the door, carrying a bag from his favorite Italian restaurant.

"_Eggplant parmigiana and garlic bread!"_ Eddie said excitedly. "_I've even got a salad for my favorite health nut._" Without any word about her prolonged absence, she set the table and they sat down to eat.

"_So the Captain was pleased with the call we got from the 6-3."_ Jamie told her. "_He thinks the op will be a great opportunity to promote precinct relations."_

"_That's one way to look at it."_ Eddie sarcastically replied.

"_Come on Ed. That's the way he has to look at it. But he cleared the way for you guys to join the them...There's something else he set up...And I'm telling you myself because I want you to hear from me that I didn't ask for this."_

Eddie looked at him sceptically.

"_Captain suggested I help out with operations."_

"_So you'll be working the op with us?"_

"_Yeah, you OK with that?"_

"_Why wouldn't I be?" _she asked sounding hurt.

"_I don't know. I figured after last time that you might want to do this on your own."_

"_Jamie - there's a difference between doing something WITH me and trying to fix something I'm doing. Nothing could make me feel safer than knowing you have my back. Now, enough talk about work. We've got family dinner to plan and some birthday presents to buy for your nephew and grandpa. What exactly do teenage boys want these days?"_

"_Teenage girls?"_ quipped Jamie.

As they were getting ready for bed, Jamie decided to ask her the one question he had on his mind since she arrived home. "So what held you up after shift today?"

"_Just needed to take care of a friend."_

"_Everything OK?"_ he was surprised at her lack of candor. He was used to Eddie sharing everything with him. Now she had a mysterious friend with a problem.

"_Frankie is fine. Just needed someone to spend some time with. And after everything that happened today, it was good for me too. I like to talk things out with an objective ear"_

Eddie climbed into bed and snuggled up against Jamie.

For his part, Jamie was unsettled. Eddie seemed like everything was normal..except suddenly she had a new mysterious friend. Male, female..Jamie wasn't sure as he wracked his brain trying to remember if he'd heard her mention a Frankie before. It's not like he was worried about Eddie's fidelity, but he knew one thing. He was going to find out who Frankie was and why she was being so secretive.


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm not sure why the chapters keep posting with formatting codes all through but if this fix the chap, I'm done for today. The story is finished but this is driving me nuts.**

Chapter 4:

On Thursday night Jamie and Eddie grabbed dinner with Tuna and Abe after their shift. The premise was to make arrangements for meeting up first thing in the morning. But, the real motivation was Jamie wanted to be sure his people knew that they could come to him with any concerns they had about the op if they felt they weren't being heard. He'd be monitoring the scene from the surveillance van. Jamie wanted to be sure that all three of them knew he had their backs.

It was clear that both Eddie and Tuna were excited for the opportunity and didn't have any major insecurities about participating. Abe seemed a bit more reluctant. He seemed to treat the informal dinner together stiffly the way any young officer treats roll call. Both Jamie and Eddie sensed he was uncomfortable and tried to help him relax in their own way. Jamie began to wonder what type of impression Abe would make at the operational meeting tomorrow.

Jamie had no doubt that Abe would prove to be an asset to the group. He would notice nuances in people that could identify those who didn't act normally among the runners, gym goers and other early risers. Not to mention he would be able to keep up with a perpetrator who was reportedly very physically fit and a capable runner. Several victims had been stalked and attacked on challenging running trails in the park. It would be difficult for a perp to pursue these women without being a runner himself. Lately the perp had switched to less remote areas with a greater risk of being caught. Only someone confident he could make a quick getaway and blend in with the other morning fitness junkies would choose these locations. Abe was the right choice for the mission but only if he believed it himself.

Eddie excused herself to use the restroom before their meals were delivered just after Tuna had stepped away from the table to take a phone call. Jamie silently thanked his wife for what he was sure was just an excuse to leave them alone. Jamie wasted no time addressing Abe's nervousness.

"You know you were my first choice for providing undercover support to this op. My wife is a capable officer and I wanted to be sure other equally capable officers are watching her back."

"Thanks, Sarge. I appreciate it."

"Just want to be sure you are 100% on board. If you don't want to be part of this, there's no harm in backing out. We've still got time to get somebody else."

"No Sarge, I mean I'm just nervous to be in a room with all that brass. What if they want more experienced guys on this."

"You let me worry about how the 2-9 presents itself. I have no doubt that we will impress."

"As long as we keep Tuna from telling any of his stories," Abe joked.

By the time the meals were finished, everyone seemed considerably more at ease. After dinner, Jamie paid for the check, and the group agreed to meet at the Starbucks across from the 63rd precinct 30 minutes before they were scheduled to show up for the operational meeting.

When they arrived back home, Eddie was texting with her partner Rachel. The two had become fast friends in a way she had never bonded with Maya. Eddie, Rachel and Kara Walsh we're looking forward to spending that Friday evening taking a pottery class at a studio in Brooklyn. Wine, crafts and much needed girl time was on the menu and Eddie couldn't be more excited. Jamie could swear he saw her text the word "Frankie" in one exchange with her girls. Eddie quickly shut off her phone and turned her attention back to Jamie.

"So who is going on this artistic adventure with you tomorrow" Jamie asked.

"I already told you about Rachel and Kara. It looks like your old friend Annabelle wants to join us too. It's going to be a great night! Girls night adventures might be our new thing. We're considering opening it up to all the females in our squads. Maybe even open it up to the whole precinct eventually. I want to encourage our female officers to realize they can be girly girls once the uniform comes off at the end of their shift. It's tough navigating this male dominated job all day."

"I'm proud of you, babe. Not just because of this decoy operation but because you are an amazing cop. Our female officers are lucky to have you in their ranks. Speaking of friends, how is your friend, Frankie doing?"

"Frankie is doing great. We will catch up next week." Eddie responded without a hint of awkwardness but also without providing any additional details.

Jamie was exhausted and confused but he didn't want to seem jealous and mistrustful. He took his wife's hand and they headed to bed


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

The meeting went well on Friday morning. The team from the 2-9 would join the other 2 teams from the 63rd and 72nd precincts at their assigned location at 4:45 am on Tuesday morning. They would meet by the surveillance units and then get in place once the call was given. The members of the 2-9 would be part of the group staking out the Bush Terminal Piers Park. It was located on the water and was a popular spot with runners and those looking to enjoy the beautiful views it provided. Because there were no playgrounds, it was also popular with singles and adults looking to enjoy the outdoors without a ton of children around. It tended to be quiet and more remote than other city parks. Eddie would be acting as a decoy with Tuna and Abe providing support. Abe was positioned out of sight while Tuna was going to be wearing a public works uniform and hopefully blend in with the surroundings. They would be waiting for the call from either Eddie or Jamie to respond if needed. While Tuna was given a uniform coverall, Eddie was provided with a reimbursement form to get herself some flashy new running clothes designed to attract attention. She was clearly excited about going on a shopping trip that was on the city.

Jamie went into the precinct for a few hours after the meeting broke up. Eddie and the other officers happily took the extra time off to prepare and headed home. By the time Jamie returned to their apartment, Eddie had already gone to meet up with her girlfriends. He heated up some leftovers and opened a beer before settling on the couch to watch the game on TV. He was surprised at how much he missed his wife's presence. Since the day they became partners, she had been his best friend. He couldn't remember the last time they both had the night off without spending it together.

Before long, Jamie's phone was receiving a steady stream of pictures from her night out. Eddie and the girls posing with wine glasses, up to their elbows in pottery clay and laughing the night away. By 9:30, Jamie received another message telling him that she was on her way home, along with another picture of just her blowing kisses to him. Before Eddie, Jamie thought he was jinxed in the romance department. Since they got together, he felt like the luckiest guy in the world.

Saturday was a day spent calming Eddie's nerves about family dinner being up to par. Despite being an inexperienced cook, Eddie was a natural. She had a knack for choosing recipes that were delicious and perfect for the occasion. Her choice for family dinner was chicken stuffed with spinach and artichokes. He knew his family would love it. She also planned to serve grilled asparagus. Along with Linda's salad and mashed potatoes from Erin, Jamie had no doubt it would be a great meal.

He was aware that the only place that he'd seen Eddie struggle with confidence was in the presence of his family. He had never realized how intimidating they could be as a group until Linda had pulled him aside. She had been around their table since his grandfather was the commissioner. If anyone was used to them it would be her. She reminded him that becoming a Reagan was like joining a party that was loud, a little out of control at times and already in full swing when you arrived. He needed to be patient and supportive until she got her bearings. After that, he'd need to remember that she was not one of them by blood, and would sometimes need to be reminded of her place at their table - Something Danny needed to do a few times a year for his own wife.

Jamie knew that Eddie had a father in jail, a brother that had died and a mother who was a category 5 tornado. She had been a solo act for as long as she could remember. In the little over a year she had been joining the Reagans around their table, she felt like she had struggled to find her place. In reality she had been a breath of fresh air in all their lives. He hoped that everyone would enjoy the meal she was putting her heart and soul into. He also was very grateful that it was only their turn once a month.

As they navigated the supermarket aisles looking for the ingredients they would need, Jamie called his grandfather to let them know they would be on their way shortly. Jamie and his father planned to play some chess while Henry acted as Eddie's sous chef. The two were developing quite a strong bond and if anyone could boost her confidence, it was his grandfather. Despite being married to her, Jamie was pretty sure he was only her second favorite Reagan. Meanwhile, Jamie was looking forward to getting some off the record tips for the multi jurisdictional operation from his father.

It was a relief to hear his wife and grandfather laughing and singing show tunes together from the kitchen just a few hours later. Jamie had been lost in thought but his father had broken through with his comment, "They are quite a pair aren't they."

"Sometimes I'm pretty sure Pop is her favorite Reagan." Jamie joked.

"She really is a blessing. It always surprised me that only Nikki shared his love of singing. I used to think it was a disappointment to him that he didn't pass on that part of himself to any of us, until I realized he was happy just to have the audience. I think he's already planning their number for the parish variety show in the fall." Frank Reagan smiled.

Jamie decided to ask his father a few questions about his experiences with multi precinct operations. Not knowing which people to trust was nerve wracking, especially when three of his officers were involved on the ground level. By the time Frank had provided some sage advice to trust his own gut and listen to his people first, he felt ready to bring his team out there on Tuesday.

Sunday dinner went off exactly as Jamie had hoped. The family raved about the meal with Sean and Nikki negotiating most of the leftovers by playing their grandchild card with Frank and Henry. Jamie was thrilled to see Eddie becoming more confident and truly enjoying herself. Jamie was the one who suggested they leave shortly after 7 o'clock. They had a day shift to get through on Monday and Jamie wanted to head in a little early to make sure everything was set for his absence on both Tuesday and Thursday.

He also wanted to have a moment to pull Rachel aside and offer some moral support. It wasn't going to be easy for her to be bounced around to different partners during the four shifts that Eddie was committed to the op. There were still some people giving her a hard time since the video from her body cam had resulted in some major changes to the physical fitness policies and pressure on a few officers to get in better shape. The irony that Jamie could see was that most of the officers least willing to give her a chance were clearly healthy and fit. It seemed to him that some people just wanted to continue a long standing tradition of not making it too easy on the new guy. Eddie and others had been transfers who were experienced officers. They came in and things went pretty smoothly. Whitten was still a rookie and hazing was part of the culture he wanted to get rid of.

By the time Jamie headed to bed at 9 o'clock he felt ready for the week ahead. Eddie was soaking in the tub and happily chatting away to him from the bathroom. He fell asleep with a satisfied smile on his face, but very little idea about what she had been talking about.


	6. Chapter 6

**Fingers crossed that this chapter posts properly X**

Chapter 6:

Monday passed without much incident. A few of the other sergeants seemed mildly annoyed that Jamie was the one chosen to support the op from the 2-9, especially those who needed to pick up the shifts he had vacated. Jamie was not bothered since he was sure those same people wouldn't want their spouse out there without being on site. Like he had with those under his command, Jamie was comfortable waiting to earn their respect. He had no doubt that would come with time.

For Monday night, both Jamie and Eddie were planning on an early turn in. After work, Jamie headed to the gym to go over through things for himself in preparation. Eddie decided that a manicure on the way home would definitely match her decoy persona. Plus she decided it would help her to stop by and spend a few minutes with Frankie. She bolted out the doors with Rachel right after her shift, planning on partner bonding over manicures beforehand.

"_Can you grab some tomato soup from Panera on your way home?"_ Eddie had asked Jamie in a text. So he was surprised when she wasn't in the apartment when he got there.

Within minutes, she came through the door like a small hurricane, chatting excitedly about the shift she'd had with Rachel, their manicure bonding session and how much she had missed him. It never ceased to surprise him how she used small subtle interactions during the day to keep him a part of her workday.

"_So you know that call I went on in the morning, the one with the two guys getting into it over the parking space…"_

"_Yeah - you decided to help them work things out right?"_ She had called in to clear it with him, but Jamie was sure she could have easily handled it on her own.

"_Sure did - well apparently they decided another neighbor was the real problem and decided to move her car. Like literally pick it up and move it to a spot closer to her own building." _ Eddie was laughing hysterically. "_She called the cops because she was sure someone had stolen her car. Turns out the security cameras in the area picked up the two new besties carrying her Mini Cooper down the street."_

"_Community policing continues to impress" _Jamie laughed with her. "_Neon pink - that's quite a color." _Jamie remarked about her nails.

"_It matches my new Lily Pulitzer leggings and top." _she smiled, admiring them for himself. "_Don't worry. Rachel chose something much more subtle - definitely within uniform regs."_

Rachel Whitten's nail polish was the last thing on his mind. Jamie wasn't sure who or what a Lily Pulitzer was but apparently it was a good thing. Eddie instantly read his expression.

"_Trust me Jamie - it's what all the co-eds and soccer moms are wearing these days"_, she laughed. "_Not to mention its super cute on me. Want to see?"_

"_As much as that sounds like a great idea, I think I'll stick with seeing it off you for now and get the full effect tomorrow." _

Eddie's giggle let him know that his unintentional suggestive comment was not missed by her.

"_Ok then, after I make us some grilled cheese and we heat up this soup, you __can_ _see it off of me." she responded suggestively._

Jamie was in complete agreement with her plans as he felt the heat rise up in him.

The rest of the dinner conversation revolved around Renzuilli and their friends from the 12th challenging the 2-9 to a wager over an upcoming softball game between their squads. Jamie was sure all his good natured teasing of his former sergeant, now a lieutenant, was responsible for the challenge. Both Jamie and Eddie had volunteered to play in a few of the games which rotated players from their squad in and out depending on schedules and who they wanted to go up against. As transfers from the 12th, Jamie, Eddie and the other officers who had come over with them had signed up for that game immediately.

It was fun to reminisce about their time at the 12th, especially since they had maintained close ties with Tony, Kara and a few other officers whom they worked with during their time there. Jamie was seeing why his dad had so many "old friends" from the various precincts he had worked in over the years. Before moving from the 12th, Jamie had taken the connections he had forged with his colleagues a bit for granted. Now that they were at the 2-9, he realized how important they were to him and Eddie.

As they cleaned up the dinner dishes, Jamie decided to get a little more information about the mystery that had been bugging him.

"_So any word from Frankie today?"_ he asked.

"_Now you're just being silly, come on let's get some sleep."_


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7:

Both Jamie and Eddie had no problem waking up as soon as their alarm went off at 3:45. They quickly and mostly silently got ready, Eddie taking a little more time with hair and makeup than she normally would for work and certainly more time than she did for a normal morning run. Eddie was trying not to think too hard about her last decoy assignment that very nearly ended with her getting seriously hurt. For his part, Jamie was a little preoccupied and so he was surprised to see her looking like a sorority girl with heavy makeup and a high ponytail that reminded him of a cheerleader on game day.

"_Too much?"_ She worried aloud to him.

"_Not at all. Seems like exactly his type based on the other victims. Lily whatever it's called looks really nice on you - but don't let my wife hear that. She's the jealous type."_

Eddie punched him in the arm and they headed out to meet up with the others.

Jamie did not miss the look Tuna had on his face when she arrived at the coffee shop. Abe seemed to be having difficulty with making direct eye contact. "_That's my girl"_ he almost said out loud to break the ice. After the group walked together over to the 6-3, they were quickly moving in opposite directions. Tuna and Abe headed to the location at the park almost immediately to get in place. Eddie was heading over in Jamie's car while Jamie would be arriving with Detective Triano in the surveillance unit. It was to be parked a safe distance away, monitoring the situation through their body cameras and microphones.

By 4:40, each team had arrived separately at their designated locations and were in place.

Eddie driving up in Jamie's Mustang only accentuated the image she was presenting. The next two hours would be the window the perpetrator had been striking in. She got out of the car, taking her time locking the vehicle then walking over to the running trails. It was decided that they would have her follow the most challenging route since that seemed to be his preferred target. Eddie ran daily but she was pretty sure she'd need a hot bath with Epson salt when today was over. She wasn't used to the gravel trails and even though the park was in the city there were some decent inclines. She felt a prolonged once over from several corporate types as she stretched out. She made it a point to be dismissive both to instigate any would be attacker and to amuse Jamie. If he had to watch her body camera all morning, the least she could do was make it interesting.

After receiving the signal, to start off. As she started running, her mind wandered away from the op. Jamie had seemed slightly off for the past few days, but she couldn't figure out why. Ironically it didn't seem to be her undercover work that was bothering him. He was rarely insecure about them, especially once the specter of the wedding and his complicated history had passed. It was as if the moment she started down the aisle she could see how relieved he was. Now, he was acting strangely again and she might have to drag it out of him soon. If he needed a little positive reinforcement or encouragement, then maybe she'd have to skip her puppy TLC sessions at the shelter for a couple weeks and concentrate on the needs of her husband.

After 45 minutes of one of the toughest runs she'd had in some time, their first attempt to draw the perp out was half over. By the time she'd run 3 miles, her calves were screaming and she was discouraged. Suddenly the earpiece she had hidden under her cute headband crackled to life. "_Looks like Team 2 grabbed somebody. Let's give it 15 minutes more then wrap it up for today." _ With all the media coverage there was a strong possibility that at least a couple of the twelve attacks were not related or that there was more than one person preying on women in Brooklyn. There was no need to pull out immediately just because the other team picked someone up.

When the group reconvened back at the 6-3, they got some discouraging news. The attacker the team had nabbed knew his victim. He turned out to be a very jealous ex who couldn't understand why she had left him. Thanks to the decoy team, his attempt to teach her a lesson wasn't successful, but the criminal going after random joggers was still on the loose.

Eddie was sore and tired when they got back home. Jamie had some paperwork to do, so he got down to it while Eddie had her date with the bathtub and some epsom salts. When she finally emerged from the bathroom after dozing off for a while, Jamie was nowhere to be seen. She found a post it note on his laptop screen that said, "_Picking up our dry cleaning and something for dinner. Love - J"_

Eddie decided to catch up with her partner and see how her shift had gone. As feared, Rachel was paired up with a guy who would have much preferred a male partner to serve as his wing man while he made sure every eligible female in the vicinity of the 2-9 knew he was happy to be of assistance. Not that he was a bad officer, he was just a bit of a macho jerk and spending the day with Rachel would cramp his style. At first he hadn't minded riding with Eddie for a few shifts, because he knew she'd always had a male partner. One sexist comment too many though and she had threatened to have his academy photo printed up and passed out to every woman she encountered on the beat. He had graduated the academy with her when he was about 30 pounds skinnier and before investing in Invisalign braces. Combine that with the hours he had logged in the gym and his transformation was rather remarkable. Eddie made sure that Rachel had plenty of information to keep Mr. Smooth on his own side of the car and behaving like less of a Neanderthal than usual.

Jamie walked into their apartment with his arms completely filled with dry cleaning and take out Mexican. He was just in time to hear the end of their conversation.

"_Don't worry about Thursday, if need be we can arrange for __you __to spend some time with my sweet Frankie. Bye chika, see you tomorrow."_

Jamie nearly dropped everything and turned on his heels for a couple hours. What the hell? Instead he coolly had her grab the food and announced somewhat gruffly that he was going to take care of the dry cleaning.

Jamie went into their bedroom and sat down on the side of the bed. He placed his head in his hands. He knew he was being ridiculous. Clearly Frankie was no big secret, she'd brought the name up several times, plus if Rachel knew about it... then it hit him. What was really bothering him was jealousy. He was jealous of Rachel Whitten.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8:

Jamie Reagan was the only partner Eddie Janko had ever really had. Sure, there were brief spans of time when she'd ridden with someone else because of injuries, temporary stuff or even rips from their commanding officers. But it was always just that - temporary. They chose to stay together through anything and everything. After Jamie became a sergeant, the brass assigned Eddie a series of different partners to fill their shifts. Rachel was the first person Eddie had ever chosen for herself. As silly as it sounded, even to himself, Jamie was bothered by that. What made it worse was they were getting along great. Not even three months riding together and they talked every day - and not just about work.

Eddie was sitting at the table just wondering what was going on. For the past week Jamie had been completely confusing. He seemed to be happy one minute and distant the next. They had both agreed that as long as they were both on the street and in the same house, they would take professionalism to the next level at work. They were absolutely determined that nobody would ever be able to say working together had affected the job. But it seemed that for the past few days, Jamie was keeping her at arms length at home too. She didn't know what had happened, but she was sure now it was something. One minute she's talking to Rachel and the next minute he's off sulking. Just like last night when she and Rachel were texting and Friday night too. "_Oh wait a minute"_ she thought to herself. "_Can that really be it?" _Before she could think about it any more, the bedroom door opened.

"_Sorry about that, I was just frustrated trying to carry all that crap." _He explained but never quite made eye contact. "_Did you see I brought you some of their great guacamole?"_

Jamie immediately busied himself pulling out the container with her enchiladas and getting his own dinner for himself. As he arranged things on the table, Eddie quickly grabbed forks and glasses of iced tea for both of them. She watched him closely, trying to decide how to handle this. It would have been the easier choice for her to take his answer at face value, but the reason why their relationship had lasted so long was because neither of them was afraid to poke the bear when need be. Tonight it was Eddie's turn to shake up her husband just enough to figure out what was bothering him.

"_So what's eating at you lately?"_ She bluntly asked once they sat down.

Jamie tried to avoid the question because with every passing minute, the truth became more embarrassing. "_Nothing really, it's stupid. I must be over tired. Thursday after we finish up at the 6-3 I'm coming home to get some sleep."_ He still continued to concentrate on the food in front of him a bit too intently.

"_You've been getting plenty of sleep,"_ she countered. "_But lately every time I turn around I'm doing something to bug you."_ She sadly finished.

"_Ed, I AM tired and while this op may just be another line on your resume for detective, I've got a lot at stake."_ Jamie looked up and snapped. Now he was being petty, and he wasn't even sure why.

"_Why are you acting like this?" She softly asked. "I can't say anything right, anymore."_ Eddie stood up, pushed in her chair, and walked out of the room. She knew she should stay and get to the bottom of things but she was tired and sore, and he was pushing her away.

After she went into the bathroom, he heard the water running. He knew she'd already taken a bath, so clearly she was just having a good cry and wanted something to cover it up. Jamie cleaned up their food, putting both containers in the fridge since neither of them had much of an appetite left. He went into the bedroom and sat down on the bed to wait for her.

Eddie did decide to take a shower, if only to hide the tears that were freely flowing now. She stepped under the water. She was totally exhausted. The adrenaline that had carried them through since almost 4 am had worn off. She was sore from a long challenging run and her solid, dependable husband was making no sense at all. After a few minutes she grabbed herself a towel off of the heated towel rack that was by far her favorite bridal shower gift. Leaving the water running to give herself a few more minutes to hide out, she sat down on the closed lid of the toilet. The warm towel usually felt nothing short of amazing, but tonight it wasn't making her feel any better. She could feel the tears start up again as she tried to decide what to do now.

After 15 minutes had passed, Jamie began to talk to her through the closed door. It was the only thing he found easier than talking while driving, staring straight through the windshield. Jamie had found most of his moments of raw honesty came when he had some kind of buffer zone. It didn't matter if it was over the phone, staring anywhere but at her while they drove or talking to her through a closed door, Jamie was his most forthcoming with some sort of barrier. He knew it wasn't his best quality. He heard her shuffling around the bathroom quietly so he knew she would hear him.

"_Ed, I think I'm struggling with the new role. I'm missing you and I on the job. I want to be your best friend again, but lately I feel like an outsider. Part of being a boss I guess, right?"_

He heard the water stop running as she shut the shower off to be able to hear him better.

"_I guess every time I turned around this week, I was under someone's microscope and you were off sharing some private joke with Rachel. I'm jealous Eddie. I know you'll think I'm being ridiculous but I can't help it. I miss being your partner. __I __want to be the first person you tell everything to."_

The door swung slightly ajar and her voice spoke from the bathroom.

"_Jamie, you __are_ _my best friend. You are the first person I tell about anything important, not to mention most things that are unimportant. But Rachel is a solid partner and she's also the first female friend I've had in a really long time. Not a friend I made through you, like Kara or Linda, but I friend I made myself. Another woman I can talk about girl stuff with. I may be going a little overboard, but it's been a long time since I've had a friend to get a manicure with or go shoe shopping. Not things I've missed out on, or things I did with you, but things I've had to do alone for a long time. I would honestly spend every waking and sleeping moment with you if I could. But since I can't, I'd like to make a few friends outside of our family. Is that wrong?"_

"_That's my point exactly. There's nothing wrong with it. I'm being ridiculous and I know it. Do you see why I didn't want to talk about it?"_

The bathroom door opened and Eddie came out. Her face was tear stained but full of concern. She sat on the floor at Jamie's feet and put her head in his lap. "_Since we're talking about friends, I think you might feel better if you talk to one of yours...Lieutenant Renzulli must have dealt with all this when he became a sergeant. Yet, he seemed to really enjoy the job. Why don't you talk to him about how he found the right balance."_

"_I think that's a great idea, baby. I think I also need to make sure we have some down time fun. Everyone tells us about having date nights and working on the marriage. For us Eddie, I think we need to spend some time working on the friendship too...I'm sorry I've been such a jerk. Of course I want you to have girlfriends. I'm going to get over my hang up. I just needed to be reminded that we're still best friends...Can I just ask you one question...who the hell is Frankie?"_

For the first time all night, Eddie laughed out loud.

"_Seriously Eddie it's been driving me crazy. Who is this guy?…girl?...I've been driving myself crazy trying to figure out who you've been spending all this time with."_ The look on his face was seriously pitiful.

Eddie looked up and with all the seriousness she could drum up, and she told him.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9:

Things with Jamie had been much better since they'd cleared the air. They had made it a point to go out for a few drinks and play some darts at a place they loved after their shift yesterday. Jamie picked up some concert tickets for a show he knew they'd both enjoy for next week. They were making a point of working on their friendship as well as the romantic part of the relationship. At work, he'd also begun to loosen up slightly in his personal interactions - not just with Eddie, but the other officers as well.

"_Stop being Joe Friday."_ Renzulli had joked. "_You __can_ _be a friend and a boss as long as there's clear lines. We're all adults here." _ That advice, along with a few other things he suggested were already having a positive impact.

"_I was wondering when you were going to ask me somethin'? I was beginning to think you didn't need any words of wisdom from this old guy."_ Renzulli joked. "_Me, I practically spent half my paycheck in quarters for the pay phone calling up my old sergeant when I got the job." _

Jamie looked quizzically at him, raising an eyebrow. "_Pay phone?"_ not even trying to hide his smirk.

"_Shut your trap, Reagan or I'll make sure to share your highlight reel with those jokers over at the 2-9."_

Only a few days after meeting up with his old boss for a few beers, and scheduling a more regular thing with him, Jamie was feeling confident and more like himself than he had in weeks.

For her part, Eddie was being a bit more sensitive to Jamie's feelings. She didn't have to make up for lost girl time all at once. Plus she owed it to Rachel not to be the reason things became strained with her new sergeant. Rachel was a great officer with a lot of potential. Eddie was determined to support that and not put any roadblocks in the way, unintentional or not. She had also promised her new father-in-law privately that she would keep an eye out for her. He told her they had a lot in common and he was right.

Rachel was very similar to Eddie: bold and sensitive, sassy and vulnerable, tough cop and girly girl. Eddie knew it would have upset her terribly to know she had caused even temporary trouble between her and Jamie. Not to mention it would have made it very hard for Rachel to feel comfortable around her sergeant. Eddie had seen a familiar sense of angst when she invited Rachel and her boyfriend over for dinner on their next weekend night off. It was like being transported back to when Jamie began inviting her to Reagan family events. With time, Eddie had no doubt their relationship would be similar to hers with Renzulli. She was determined to do her part to see that happened.

Eddie had also made the time to introduce Jamie to the mysterious Frankie. Much to Jamie's chagrin, he had indeed been told all about him when she first met him and again when Eddie was lounging in the tub just a few weeks before. Jamie was more than certain, the fact that he hadn't listened to anything she told him that night, would come up far more often than his flash of jealousy.

In fact, Jamie could tell that she was a bit flattered by the fact that her husband still got jealous of other guys. Not the punch their lights out, start a fight kind of jealousy, but just enough for her to know she wasn't being taken for granted. She liked knowing he still wanted to be the only guy she really noticed. And he would continue to be, just as long as he never let her alone in a room with Chris Hemsworth.

Frankie had made quite an impression on Jamie. He had already included him in a plan he had to surprise Eddie. One that was part of a promise he had made to himself before the wedding.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10:

When the teams met up again on Thursday morning at the same early hour, there was even less to be said. Each team navigated with purpose to their assigned location and each member of the team resumed their role, picking up where they left off. Once again, the end of the sting resulted in a few minor arrests by the supporting officers, but no sign of the man who was causing so much fear.

By the time the following Tuesday rolled around, everyone was having serious doubts about being able to catch him in their sting. Regardless, they took their posts again. Today the weather was cloudy and considerably colder than normal. The time they got into place hadn't changed, but Eddie could swear it was darker than before.

A slight drizzle started and Abe, the experienced runner in their group, whispered over his mic that she should stay loose. "_It's weather like this when people get hurt. Muscles get cold and tense up. You've got to keep moving."_

Eddie followed his advice, jogging in place and repeatedly checking the time on her Fitbit as if someone was late to meet her. She projected the air of a wealthy young woman who didn't have the time to waste waiting for someone.

Seated inside the surveillance van on this rainy Tuesday, Jamie had a feeling that something was wrong. Not in the obvious way, but something in his gut felt it.

For her part, Eddie was doing a great job portraying the pissed of socialite. Her exasperated tone was creating the obvious effect. She was pacing and scowling, pausing to check her phone every few minutes for an imaginary text.

When they felt like enough time had passed for anyone prowling around to notice her, Detective Triano gave the signal. Eddie began running along the hard packed trail thankful for the warmth the exercise would induce. She was finally feeling reasonably comfortable a few minutes later when she thought she heard a crunch on the gravel behind her. Before she had a chance to turn to see what it was, she hit the ground with a hard thud. She landed on her shoulder and her ankle was twisted. Before the pain even had enough time to register, someone was on top of her. He managed to land only one quick, hard hit to her abdomen when she sensed someone else sending him flying off of her.

There wasn't even time to utter the safe word or for Jamie to react to what he saw on her body cam feed before Abe Jordan had the perp on the ground himself, with Tuna arriving in seconds to help subdue him. Abe had noticed the lone runner emerge from his car and take up the trail behind Eddie a few minutes after she started off. He began running with an odd sense of purpose that reminded Abe of his cross country days, when he was looking to overtake another runner and move ahead. The male was tall and thin and had a runner's physique. While he was dressed appropriately for the weather and activity, he was in dark nondescript clothing and had his face was covered. It just hadn't sat right with Abe.

As soon as the perp was in cuffs, Tuna was helping her to her feet. Noticing her ankle was sore, he guided her to sit back down on a large boulder along the water view side of the running trail. The next few minutes were a flurry of activity with uniformed officers removing the perp and securing the scene. Jamie had decided not to approach the activity and chose to wait down below where the ambulance was waiting. Both Abe and Tuna had assured him remotely that Eddie was fine, just a slightly twisted ankle. Getting back might have required a gurney if Tuna had not offered to help. He carried her piggy back down the trail until just before they were in sight of the others. Then both he and Abe supported her on either side, helping her navigate her way over to the waiting paramedics on foot.

Jamie was concerned about the cut she had on the side of her head, and he could see her ankle was bothering her, but he was also surprisingly calm. She was walking mostly on her own and seemed far less shaken than after the last time they had been in this position. She was having her shoulder checked and immobilized by the paramedics when he walked over to her.

"_How are you feeling?"_ he asked concerned.

"_Like I took a hit from an NFL linebacker"_ she quipped. "_Man, that guy was fast! He came out of nowhere from behind. I hadn't heard him until he was right on top of me. But I didn't even have time to catch my breath and give the signal before Abe was on him."_ she announced proudly. "_We got the bastard."_

Jamie was more than just a little relieved to see his spunky wife was acting like her old self.

"_You're still going to the hospital to get that checked out. Sergeant's orders." _he told her with a slight smile. "_I'm really glad you're OK."_

"_Thanks for having my back, Sarge. You picked the right backup."_

"_You do remember that Abe was your idea, right?"_ he reminded her. "_I'm sure that would have come back to you eventually...once the knock to your head wore off" _he jokingly said.

"_Hey, you didn't see Tuna carry my sorry ass all the way back down the trail. He may need to have his back looked at."_

"_I'll take that under advisement. Head over to the hospital with these guys. Tuna, Abe and I are going to head back to the 6-3 to wrap things up. You can give your statement later. Call me when you're ready to be picked up, if I haven't made it over by then." _he squeezed her hand briefly before heading back to the surveillance van for the victory lap back to the precinct.

When Eddie arrived at the ER, she was immediately put into a room, but her non life threatening injuries did not move her quickly to the top of the list. She had only had a brief interaction with a nurse to insert an IV line and provide her some mild oral pain medication. Her shoulder was killing her and she hoped that both it and her ankle wouldn't keep her off the street for more than a couple of days. The issue that Jamie was sure to find most upsetting was the ugly purple bruise on her side. After moving around to try to assess the damage, he side was absolutely killing her. She was not going to be shocked at all if the doctor needed to tape her ribs as well. She had a feeling her rib might be cracked. The more she moved, and now that the adrenaline had worn off, she was in a lot of pain. When Jamie arrived almost two hours later, he was upset to see that barely any attention had been provided to his officer...and his wife. After greeting his wife who was nearly in tears from pain, he immediately began hunting down someone to take a look at her. The cold as ice sergeant persona was very helpful in getting some attention.

"_We're waiting for an x-ray, and cat scan figure out whether we need an orthopedist." _the flustered nurse reported. "_We had a structure fire and a serious bus accident so things are a bit backed up. I'll check with the doctor and see if we can get her anything stronger for the pain."_

20 minutes later and Eddie was resting comfortably. Jamie had provided some lunch from the burger place near the hospital on his way over. Now that she had eaten and a doctor had come in briefly to check her chart and approve some pain medication, she was dozing off.

At first, she had been upset that Jamie was making such a scene about the lack of attention she was receiving from the staff. But a full stomach and finally getting some relief from the pain she felt in almost every part of her body, had changed her mind. She was terribly grateful. Eddie knew the one thing she needed to work on was letting her guard down. Sometimes it was OK to let him take up the sword and fight for her for a change. It didn't make her some damsel in distress to not be Joan of Arc all the time.

A few hours later, once all the tests had been performed, her broken rib was taped up, and her ankle had some support, she was ready to head home with Jamie. Luckily, her shoulder was just bruised and stiff but not injured any further. The cut that Jamie had first noticed on her forehead was superficial and it required just a butterfly bandage.

One recommendation she had received from the doctor that had her excited was for a massage. She was already planning on checking Yelp for the best place to get a couple's massage later that week. Until then, some TLC and rest would have to do.

Jamie was taking full advantage of the fact that they were officially off duty to properly take care of his wife as he held the door for her and helped her into the car. The sergeant making sure his officer was receiving the best possible medical care had been replaced by the husband who was determined to make sure she felt comfortable and loved.

"_I'm surprised at how well you're taking this."_ Eddie noted placing her head on his shoulder when they were both settled in the car.

"_Truth is at first I wasn't. Then I reminded myself how tough you are and that you were going to be just fine." _ he admitted. "_This job carries all kinds of dangers that will result in cuts, bruises and twisted ankles from time to time. As long as we are taking all the safety precautions and not going into anything recklessly, we will be fine. I have to believe that." _

He paused for a minute or two before continuing, "_Plus Tuna and Abe let me know how you kicked ass out there. Seriously Ed, you had the respect of everyone in that room. You should have seen Abe's face when one of the guys from the 7-2 added that you looked smoking hot. He was shocked."_

"_What did you say,"_ she giggled.

"_I told the guy that I'll let my wife know he thought so."_ Jamie laughed out loud remembering the hysteria that followed his comment from everyone else around the table during the debriefing. "_Of course the kid was horrified when he realized about us and stammered and stuttered his way through something that was half apology and half justification that he was talking about your decoy persona. I almost followed that with - Are you saying my wife isn't smoking hot all the time? But I had to take pity on the kid. I think the detective he was working with was ready to kill him."_

"_Let's get home and you can take care of your smoking hot wife. I think we may need some Disney movies, ice cream and a bubble bath."_

"_I like the last one."_ Jamie responded with a chuckle.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11:

A week later, Eddie and Jamie were walking home hand in hand from their hot stone massages feeling very relaxed and invigorated. Eddie was mostly healed though her rib was still a bit sore at times. The masseuse had been very careful to avoid the area that was still sore, and Eddie was definitely glad they chose today to follow her doctor's orders.

"_That was a first for me,"_ Jamie announced, "_But I'm sure it won't be the last. It felt great...If Danny catches wind of it though, I'll never hear the end of it." _

"_What are you talking about, Jamie? We gave Linda a couple's massage for her birthday." _ Eddie responded. "_Just another time I told you stuff and you didn't listen to me."_ she quipped.

"_I knew we gave __her_ _a massage, I just didn't realize we gave DANNY a massage too - I'm not sure how I feel about that."_ he laughed. "_But as long as we are talking about times I didn't listen to you, what would you think about spending some time with Frankie?" _Jamie asked.

Eddie's smile lit up and he knew he was going to love her response to the rest of his idea. "_I was actually thinking we should spend A LOT of time with Frankie and bring him home. _I already called over to Happy Paws and got started on the paperwork. We can pick him up after shift tomorrow."

"_OMG, Jamie that would be amazing!" _Eddie was bouncing on her toes, nearly jumping up and down.

"_Careful on that ankle."_ he cautioned happily. "_Plus, I thought it would be nice for you to have a running partner when I am working...Not that you need a guard dog,"_ Jamie added. "_Just for the company."_

"_I would looove that."_ she said drawing out the word for emphasis. "_Besides, you're right. Neither of us can be too careful, especially if we want to have a family someday. A guard dog is a great deterrent and a good way to stay safe. Plus it would be nice to have my "boyfriend" around when you are working nights."_ she laughed, remembering his jealous reaction.

"_There's just one problem,"_ Jamie relayed.

"_What's that?"_ asked Eddie nervously.

"_His name. Unless you want to be the one that tells my dad we have a dog named after him…"_

"_Now that you mention it, I think George has a much better ring to it."_ she replied.


End file.
